A Mate's Valentine's Day
by TheMaskedCat
Summary: Companion piece to A Demon's Mate.


Author's Note: No, I haven't dropped A Demon's Mate. I promise. Things have been a little difficult and inspiration is hard to find. I know exactly where it's going and what will be in each of the remaining chapters, but I just can't get it down. And trying to power through it just produces crap that I end up deleting because there is no way that I'll post it like that. I've already made enough mistakes along the way. I apologize but I need a little more time.

I do plan for it to end before Valentine's Day, but with the holiday upon us I just couldn't resist a little more angst. And due to plans, I couldn't get it done in time for the day itself.

A Mate's Valentine's Day

_'The scent of roses is disgusting.'_

Serena flipped her hair behind her sharply as she strode into her last class of the day. She was already upset with men and the world in general. The group of boys that followed her in, laughing amongst themselves, didn't help her mood any. Neither did the one that kept trying to grab a piece of her hair in a misguided attempt to get her attention.

"Cut it out!" She screamed as she whirled around.

They scrambled back and when she turned forward again, the red head realized that her classmates that had already arrived had stopped in their tracks to stare at her. Not looking directly at any of them, Serena headed to her normal seat and busied herself with pulling her notebook and text out. Anger radiated around her mixed with a healthy dose of embarrassment.

_'Sebastian would never have pulled my hair to get my attention. What are they, four? Even Ciel would never have done that and he was younger than all of them. Younger in years and experience but much better manners. __When did it become acceptable for boys to never grow up? Were they always like that or am I just noticing now? Like they are just noticing me. Well maybe not just noticing, but finally making a move. A stupid move at that.'_

She knew where their sudden courage had come from. The dreaded Valentine's Day was sweeping the US in all it's red and pink glory. All week the hearts and flowers had poured from every store window with inanely stupid stuffed animals begging for some one to be theirs. The scent of roses, relaxing while in the gardens of London, were now a constant, cloying fragrance that was inescapable.

Her view of the holiday had nothing to do with the fact that she still had yet to hear from Sebastian and his underlings were being strangely silent about him. It had nothing to do with the fact that she would be spending Valentine's Day alone. Again. As she had every year. The sudden push on her pencil that broke the sharpened tip had nothing to do with witnessing the infection of love into every aspect of the world around her, except home, where there was only Edwin and Lucien waiting for her to get out of class.

These things had nothing to do with her mood at all.

Even the classrooms and lecture halls had little somethings pinned up in odd places. A cork-board full of poems to be copied here, paper hearts there. One of her classes had taught how to make origami roses out of heavy paper and bouquets of them decorated the room. Serena was glad to see that Professor Jackson's hall boasted none of the stupid fripperies and his podium was devoid of flowers or little hearts.

It was really no surprise though. Professor Jackson was a 53 year old, confirmed bachelor and happy with that state. He always said that it gave him a freedom that many of his generation that had married and produced children would never experience or understand. Before Sebastian, Serena had hoped to see in the man as a role-model and to one day find the peace in being alone that her teacher had. Now that she was tied to waiting for a demon to come back for her, at his convenience evidently, she thought that the man may be onto something with all his freedom talk. But she knew, in her heart, that she would wait forever...and wasn't that depressing.

Bringing herself back to the present, Serena tried to ignore the couples that were being sickeningly-sweet with each other, as well as the boys that were still clustered together and shooting glances at the Ice Princess. A title that had reappeared at the beginning of the semester when she didn't even try to make friends or join any of the little groups around campus.

A trio of girls passed her to get to their seats in the back of the room, each showing off the bouquet of flowers they had been given and Serena rolled her eyes after they passed. That smell was back and she hated it all over again. From behind she heard they snicker and the words, 'didn't get a thing, what a freak.'

"Alright, enough of the oohing and ahhing." Professor Jackson walked into the room and laid his own bag on the table at the side of the projection screen. His dark hair was shot through with strands of silver that only added to the strength of his face. Although not the tallest man, the confidence in which he carried himself made him seem intimidating to those that lacked the same confidence. He was always dressed well, but there had been no extra effort for the day.

The students that had been milling around the room scattered to their seats. Although not a particularly hard class, the professor had a reputation of not being very flexible. Meaning he had a tendency to throw students out of his classes for the smallest thing, even during finals, which resulted in a failing grade with no way to make it up. Professor Jackson didn't take students back either.

"Let's get started." The man picked up a remote from the podium and hit a button to load the lecture notes. Serena sighed in relief as everyone stopped talking and paid attention to the lecture instead of the only girl in class that didn't have flowers or a box on her desk.

"Today, we're going to discuss the Prussian War." He stopped and nodded to a person in the back. "Yes?"

One of the giggling girls that had been making fun of Serena smiled as she leaned forward on her desk. "Professor Jackson, wouldn't this be a good time to go over the beginning of Valentine's Day? It's world history and relevant to today."

"I don't believe that Valentine's Day is on the syllabus." He looked over the rim of his glasses at the girl, Whitney, if she remembered correctly. Serena stopped herself from laughing as Whitney sat back in her seat, the smile disappearing on her face.

"It's not sir."

"Well, then we'll continue. If that's alright with you?"

The blonde shrunk down further in her seat. "Yes, sir. Sorry."

"Thank you." Professor Jackson loaded the first set of notes. "On the syllabus for today is the Prussian War, which started..."

A knock interrupted him again the man threw his hands up.

"For Christ's sake. What now?"

The class took a moment to feel sorry for whoever was on the other side of that door when Professor Jackson stalked across the front of the room and flung the wood door open. A massive wave of red roses appeared to be floating in the doorway on it's own, if not for the hands holding a crystal vase tightly. The flowers came into the room a bit and a smiling face appeared among the flowers.

"Professor Harold Jackson?" The out of breath delivery boy hefted the flowers up a little more.

"Yes?"

"Delivery for you, sir."

"For me? Are you certain?" He reached forward to take the arrangement before thinking better of it.

"That is what the card says. I can put them anywhere you want. They're a little heavy, sir."

"Oh, of course. The table over there please."

Serena watched the display, a feeling of dread pooling in her stomach. Another who viewed this holiday for the ridiculous display that it was, was about to fall into the wasteland of the infected. It wasn't that she was bitter. It was just silly to get all gooey over flowers and chocolates and stuffed animals and jewelry one day of the year.

"Who are they from Professor?" One of the girls in the front of the room bounced in her seat, as if she wished she could jump up and read the card herself.

"I have no idea." The man reached for the flowers, a blush staining his cheeks, but pulled back at the last minute. His normal confidence was long gone, completely shaken by surprise. "No one would send me flowers."

"Someone did." Whitney laughed from the back of the room.

"I wish someone would send me flowers like that." Another girl sighed over the arrangement and sent a glare at her boyfriend. Serena rolled her eyes at all of them.

Professor Jackson wiped his shaking hands nervously on his shirt and grabbed the card like the flowers would bite him if he lingered too long. His hands made the envelop shake as he lifted the flap and pulled the little card out.

"Oh. Oh, my." The blush on his face got even redder, if that was possible.

"Who are they from?" The girls all leaned forward, with the exception of one red head.

"Um..." He looked back at the class and then to the roses again and back. "Never you mind that."

The girls giggled all around the room.

"I suppose, in the spirit of the day, we could post-pone the lecture until next session."

Serena gaped at the normally stuffy and professional man that was fluttering around the front of the room.

"Oh, professor's got a hot date." One of the guys whistled.

"Quiet you." He gestured toward the door. "Well, go on. Before I change my mind."

The students needed no further urging. Most didn't even put their things away before lunging for the door. In comparison, Serena took her time putting her things back into her back, exactly where she wanted them to be. Her steps were unhurried as she walked down the stairs and across the front of the room. The professor was still fluttering around his gift but started when she walked past.

"Congrats, professor. They're beautiful."

"Oh, thank you. Thank you." He stopped her from heading for the door. "Ms. Walton, is this not a little strange? A woman sending a man flowers I mean."

The red head smiled when all she wanted to do was scream. "It's not the 1950's. Women can send men flowers if they want to."

He laughed and looked back to the bouquet. "I suppose."

"Although, I'm sure that she'd like to get something in return."

"Of course." He ran a hand through his graying hair. "Of course. Thank you, Ms. Walton, I won't keep you any longer. I'm sure that you have someone waiting for you."

"Y...yeah." Serena left the room quickly, not bothering to correct him.

_'Someone waiting for me? Try the other way around.'_ She sighed as she walked through the almost deserted hallways. She looked straight ahead and ignored the giggling from the cute couples that still sauntered through the halls. Ducking out of the main door, Serena headed across the campus for the parking lot.

There were no other classes to go to, the studios had been closed because the professors had left after finishing classes. There was no where to go, except back home. And there was no one at home but Edwin and Lucien. Slowing down, she considered her options. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the same guy that had been grabbing her hair earlier to get her attention. He had broken away from his circle of friends and was walking up the path toward her.

Serena shook her head and turned back for the parking lot. She stumbled a little on the stairs leading down to the lot when Lucien pulled up at the bottom and got out of the car. The demon smiled brighter than usual and got much closer than he normally would. He looked up the stairs and the red head followed his eyes to see the boy had stopped dead at the top.

Lucien slid the bag off her shoulder with a wink.

"I'm glad that you could get out early today." The demon purred while sliding another look to the human at the top of the stairs. "It leaves more time for my plans."

Serena laughed a little nervous and pushed her hair behind her ear. Lucien opened the door before she could reach for it, holding it steady while he helped her into the vehicle. She reached for the seat belt but he beat her to that too. Sliding it slowly across her body, he leaned closer, close enough to feel his breath on her cheek. She started to push back into the seat, looking for space.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kiss you in front of him. I like my balls right where they are, thank you. But he'll think I'm kissing you."

That made her laugh for real. Lucien made sure the belt snapped into the buckle before sliding back out of the car. Shutting the door, he looked back at the surprised human with a smirk before going around to put her bag in the back and get into the driver's seat.

"So, how was your day?" Lucien smiled, back to normal, as they moved slowly through the campus toward the front gate.

"Don't even ask."

"That bad, huh?" The demon stopped for a couple to cross the road in front of the music labs and didn't miss the glare that Serena shot the two as they passed. "Is something wrong?"

The red head looked out her window. "No."

"Okay. Why did you get out so early. I wasn't expecting you for at least another hour."

"Because my last professor has gone over to the dark side of this stupid holiday."

He looked over at the malice in her voice. "Stupid holiday? Oh, you mean Valentine's Day."

"Yeah. Have you not noticed all the decorations and people making fools of themselves?"

"Humans don't need a holiday to make fools of themselves."

"Good point." Serena grew silent again and the demon seemed to be willing to let her be as they drove through the streets of the city, toward the outskirts.

Passing through residential streets, Serena told Lucien to stop the car. The demon looked at her for a moment before parking against the curb. She looked over the deserted park before taking off her seat belt and opening the door. Lucien was at her side in an instant and closed the door behind her as the red head started across the grass. He was a silent shadow at her side, constantly scanning their surroundings, but she could feel the question he wanted to ask.

'_Why are we stopping at a park?'_

She sighed, not really knowing the answer herself. Serena only knew that she wasn't ready to go back to the house Sebastian had bought and filled with things that he thought she would like and enjoy. What she really wanted wasn't there. And tonight, that beautiful, perfect, little house felt like a prison.

Serena by-passed the monkey bars that had always scared her as a child. She didn't know why. Then the jungle gym, a favorite that had inspired her imagination. Slides, were likewise passed without a thought. It was the swings, the absolute favorite, that had caused her to tell Lucien to stop. The thought of flying through the chilly air had called to her.

It was something you never forgot. How and exactly when to move your legs to gain the most height and speed. How your hair would cover your face and then fly behind you. The feeling of the air rushing past you. She wondered if she would jump off, as she always had, or if Lucien would try to catch her and ruin the fall to the ground. Probably. He'd be worried that she was going to hurt herself and he'd be the one telling Sebastian about it.

Lucien had seated himself on the swing next to hers and simply waited. He watched as she swung back and forth, seeing the first smile coming over her face as the she moved through the air. The sun had long sunk below the trees and the stars made their nightly appearance before she started dragging her feet in the pebbles below her. As she slowly stopped, he saw that the smile was gone and depression had emerged again.

"I'm assuming that Valentine's Day has something to do with your mood."

Serena sighed. "It's just, I thought that it would be over by now. I was always alone on Valentine's Day and, I guess, I thought that this year would be different."

"Why?"

"Because of all this mate stuff. Watching everyone else with significant other is already depressing, add in the escalation that happens today, and it all pisses me off." Her foot dug into the ground.

"Well, my mate is spending Valentine's Day alone because I'm here." Lucien cocked his head to the side as he thought about it. "Of course, we don't celebrate Valentine's Day so it's kind of a moot point."

"You don't celebrate Valentine's Day?"

"Demons and Saint Valentine." He looked at her. "Doesn't really mesh."

Serena laughed. "I guess it does sound a little stupid."

"Does that mean that you're ready to go back to the house?"

"Are you in a hurry?"

He shrugged. "I just don't like to be so exposed. It's very open here."

"Yeah, I guess."

Lucien was up in a blink and held out a hand to help her stand. Serena jerked back a little, the inhuman speed still surprising her and telling her how uncomfortable the demon really was out in the open. He stayed close as they walked back in the direction that they came. The demon was on alert, almost overtaking her as they walked.

He didn't relax until they were both in the car and speeding away. Houses gave way to trees and the car sped up, eating up the road leading to the little house by the lake. As the bare forest past, Serena felt something itching at the back of her mind.

"Lucien?"

"Yes?"

"You're a lust demon, right?"

"That's right."

"Doesn't you mate have a problem with that?"

"Ah, I begin to see the issue." Lucien stared at the road as he thought about her question. "It's not an easy thing to answer. Humans lust after more than just sex. Humans can lust after anything. Sex is just the easiest lust for me to evoke and then feed from those that give into it."

He smirked across the console at her and Serena felt a little of that power come over her skin. Instead of exciting, it was a little painful. And as good looking as Lucien was, she still preferred Sebastian.

"Add to that, I also have no desire to hurt anyone and sex is pleasant for all involved. It's part of the reason that I'll never be an Elder. I don't have the drive or killer instinct that Elders possess." He shook his head. "But the sex, it's empty, meaningless. Emily knows that."

"Yeah, but still." Serena sunk further down in the seat, uncomfortable with the thought that she was alone tonight and Sebastian was possibly in bed with his master.

"Let me explain it this way, in the simplest sense. I flirt heavily and have sex with humans because I have to. I have to eat, to stay strong. If I start to weaken, so will my Emily, I also won't be able to protect her if I'm weak. But, I spend time with my mate and make love with her because I want to. There's a huge difference and Emily knows that."

"I suppose that's something that I have to understand too."

"It will make life a lot easier if you can. It is reality."

The rest of the drive passed in silence, Serena lost in her thoughts as Lucien expertly navigated the car higher into the hills that surrounded the town. As they turned onto the small road that led to the house she called home for the time being Serena stared at the small cottage and the view of the lake behind it. Pretty as a postcard, it was just as perfect as the manor had been. There was a certain comfort in knowing that it had been purchased and decorated and lived in by Sebastian before he had taken his latest contract. Edwin had told her as the years had passed while they waited for her birth, the Elder had started to settle into the area. He knew which school she would end up at and had bought the house to be close but not close enough for her to see him. She had been surprised to hear that Sebastian had also bought a house in the same town that she had grown up in, just down the street from her own home. It was empty and up for sale now.

The lights were on, not surprising as Edwin would be expecting them. However, Serena felt the same dread of walking into the house as she had earlier. Lucien left the engine running as he came around to open her door. She was still looking at the house when the front door opened and Edwin appeared in the doorway. The other demon moved quickly to the car, holding out a hand to help her from her seat.

"I was wondering what was taking you two so long." His glare turned to Lucien. "I was expecting you both hours ago."

"We took a little detour. Serena was not ready to come back to the house."  
"Serena is standing right here, you know." The red head glared at both demons from her place between them.

"Of course, my lady." Edwin bowed an apology and waved her toward the open doorway.

She turned back as Lucien was getting back in the car to take it to the garage, which housed another three vehicles. Something that she found out after coming here was that Sebastian was unsure of which car she would prefer and there was an example of any that she might want to drive. To not distract from the charming cottage feel, a large garage had been built further into the trees.

Coming into the house, the smell that she had been hating all day surrounded her. Serena looked up at the open living room and gasped. Bouquets of red roses in every size covered every surface. Petals covered the floors, releasing more of the fragrance into the air. The furniture was covered with stuffed animals of every size, each holding enough chocolate that she would never be able to eat it all.

The little, black cat that she had found wandering around the lake and brought home glided along the floor, footsteps light as snow as he moved through the petals scattered around to greet her. Picking him up, she saw the light glint off something around his neck and noticed the delicate bracelet he was wearing as a necklace.

_'Collars and leashes are for dogs.'_

"Oh, is that for me?" Serena cuddled the cat closer as he meowed at her.

"Do you still hate Valentine's Day?"

The red head whirled around to see Lucien grinning as he closed the door behind him. She reached out and smacked him.

"You knew about this the whole time?"

"They started arriving this morning after you left for classes." Edwin moved from his place in the entryway and held out a small card. "This came with the first delivery."

Serena shifted the cat in her arms to take the card and open the little envelope. She was still smiling as she pulled the little card out and read it. It was so cliché but she still felt herself tear up a little anyway.

_'Think of me, as I am always thinking of you.'_

Edwin and Lucien watched her from the sidelines as she snuggled the cat and pulled the bracelet off his neck to get a closer look at it. Both shook their heads as she wandered through the little house, smelling the roses and taking in each gift that had been sent. Lucien leaned over to his partner, making sure that he wouldn't be overheard by Serena.

"We took so long because she was all depressed over Valentine's Day."

"You could have told her this was here."

"It was supposed to be a surprise."

Edwin looked up from where he was filming the red head's reaction on his phone to be sent to the Elder. "I believe that the surprise was successful."

Later that night, Serena slid between the sheets of her bed and waited for her feline companion to curl into his favorite place against her chest. She stroked his soft fur and smiled at the sound of purring that filled the air. Drifting off to sleep, the smell of roses surrounding her.

_'__I love the scent of roses__.'_


End file.
